WOODBURN, ORE. – Ellie Slama (Salem, Ore.) and Spencer Tibbits (Vancouver, Wash.) earned titles in their respective divisions Thursday at the 18th Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship, held Tuesday, June 30th through Thursday, July 2nd at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.

Slama earned her fourth victory in as many Oregon Junior Golf majors thus far in 2015. Last week, Slama earned the win in the Girls Division at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship. Tibbits battled for his second win this season, after tying for first in the 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge last month. Tibbits was runner-up in last week’s Boys Division final at the Oregon Junior Amateur Championship.

Slama finished with scores of 71-72-72 – 215 (-1), as she was the only player in the Girls Division to finish under-par. Ellen Secor (Portland, Ore.) stayed consistent throughout the week, firing three rounds of 74 to finish at 222 (+6) and earn second place. Haley Greb (Pendleton, Ore.) shot 73-76-75 – 224 (+8) and finished third, while Sarah Lawrence (Duvall, Wash.) earned fourth place by shooting scores of 80-71-75 – 226 (+10).

With tough conditions and hot weather the entire week, Slama felt like her appreciation for the course and steady game led her to the win.

“I really love this course, and I really think that gives you a positive feel going into the [week],” said Slama. “It was greens in regulation and two-putt the whole day, which is actually really refreshing. My drives were consistent, and it was good golf just like previous weeks.”

For Tibbits, his win comes off his loss in last week’s final at the Oregon Junior Amateur Championship. It was a comfortable win for him, as he came into the day leading by three, and eventually won by five, with scores of 71-71-72 – 214 (-2). Kevin Geniza (Corvallis, Ore.) earned second place, shooting 69-78-72 – 219 (+3), and three players tied for third place at 220 (+4): Brock Anderson (Lake Oswego, Ore.), Cole Chrisman (Bend, Ore.) and Reese Fisher (Medford, Ore.).

Tibbits’ 2-under par finish won by five shots, but he thought it might not have been enough leading into the week.

“Going into the week, I thought I would have to go pretty low, just because of last year’s scores,” said Tibbits. “This year, the scores were a little bit higher, because this year we were in the afternoon, so the wind picked up. And the greens were a little bit more firm this year than last year, so it made the course a little bit more tricky.”

The 2015 Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship also serves as the last opportunity for Oregon Junior Golfers to earn points for Junior America’s Cup teams, one of the most prestigious honors a junior player can achieve.

Following completion of today’s play, Team Captains Steve Hagen and Mary Harrington announced the teams for the 2015 Junior America’s Cup and Girl’s Junior America’s Cup.

Team Oregon players named to the 2015 Junior America’s Cup are:
Spencer Tibbits, 16, of Vancouver, Wash., who won this week’s Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship and tied for first in the 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge. He also finished runner-up in the Boys Division at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship and also participated in 2015 U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying in Cle Elum, Wash.
Bryce Wortman, 17, of Klamath Falls, Ore., who won the Boys Division at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship, as well as tied for first at the 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge.
Kevin Geniza, 17, of Corvallis, Ore., who finished in second place in this week’s Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship, tied for third in the 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge and made it to the Round of 16 at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship.
Reese Fisher, 16, of Medford, Ore., who earned second place at the 2015 Centennial Junior, third place at the 2015 Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship and advanced to the Round of 16 at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship.

The Junior America’s Cup Team Matches will be held July 26-30, 2015 at Pine Canyon in Flagstaff, Ariz. Established in 1973 in Pebble Beach, Calif., the Junior America’s Cup is held annually on a rotating basis throughout the western United States, Canada and Mexico.

Team Oregon players named to the 2015 Girl’s Junior America’s Cup Team:
Ellie Slama, 16, of Salem, Ore., who won the Girls Division at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship, this week’s Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship, as well as the Girls Open Division title in every other Oregon Junior Golf major this year thus far: The 2015 Centennial Junior and 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge. She also tied for medalist honors in qualifying for this year’s U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. 
Ellen Secor, 17, of Portland, Ore., who finished runner-up in the Girls Division at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship, as well as second in this week’s 18th Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship and in the 2015 Centennial Junior. She also qualified for the 2015 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
Taylor Hartley, 17, of Vancouver, Wash., who was a semi-finalist at the 85th Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur Championship and finished runner-up at this year’s Centennial Junior.
Daniele Giles, 17, of Central Point, Ore., who qualified for the 2015 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and finished second in the 2015 Peter Jacobsen Junior Challenge.

The Girl’s Junior America’s Cup (GJAC) is held on a rotating basis throughout the western United States, Canada and Mexico. This year’s event, which hosts an international field of the finest junior girl golfers from each region, will be held July 26-30 at Cheyenne Country Club in Cheyenne, Wyo. The first GJAC tournament was held at Tumwater Valley Golf Course in Olympia, Wash.

For more information about Junior America’s Cup Team’s and the upcoming matches, visit www.gjac.org and www.junioramericascup.org.

For complete results from the 18th Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship, click here.

For photos, click here.